Comparison

darkSIDEpool vs Cue Cards

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

darkSIDEpool

This app allows users to easily record billiards match results, track statistics like break and run outs, and even incorporate a 'luck' factor. It generates custom rankings based on performance and offers shareable match reports with unique commentary.

Highlights
  • Record match results
  • Track break and run outs
  • Measure average rack times
  • Incorporate luck factor
  • Generate custom rankings
  • Shareable match reports
  • In-match commentary
Features
Read full description

Feel the Power with the Official darkSIDEpool Scoreboard app, dedicated to recording billiards match results between friends. With the easy to use interface you can record match results, break and run outs, average rack times and even LUCK! Yes that's right even luck can be tracked if players are in agreement to use that feature. As matches are played players will receive a custom ranking based on their performance which factors in match score, run outs and luck factors. Will you be able to rise over your friends and become the ultimate player? Feel free to share the results of your matches using our custom match report generator to let everyone know how you taken down your opponent like a buffalo. Take inspiration from the Emperor's messages. With 100's of messages available based on different match outcomes and circumstances you'll never stop wanting to share them. Also, turn up the volume to listen to in match commentary from the DARKSIDE himself! FEEL THE POWER!

About

Cue Cards

This app provides variable practice drills for pool players, adapting to skill levels with a unique rating system. It offers daily challenges, social features for comparing progress with friends, and custom drill creation. A free version is available, with an optional Pro subscription for advanced analytics.

Highlights
  • Adaptive skill-based drills
  • Elo rating system for players and drills
  • Daily challenges and weekly streaks
  • Pass & Play multiplayer mode
  • Customizable drill creation
  • Advanced game analytics (Pro)
Features
Read full description

Note: this is not a mobile game. It is a practice and training aid that needs a real pool table. Practice doesn't stick when it's the same shot ten times, because a match never gives you the same shot twice. CueCards is pool training that hands you a new problem every time you step up, pitched at your level, with a Skill Rating that moves with every drill you log. HOW IT WORKS There are five types of card: Layout (where the balls sit), Cue Ball (where you start from), Rule (a condition you play under), Pocket (which pockets are open) and Safety (where the cue ball must finish, or how many cushions to escape). CueCards shuffles them into a drill. Set the balls up on the table to match, shoot it, log how it went, then deal the next one. 598 cards make over 1.2 million different drills, so you will never run out. TRAINING THAT FINDS YOUR LEVEL Your first five drills set your Skill Rating. From then on you're dealt drills at the edge of your game, roughly a coin flip each, which is where practice sticks. Too easy or too hard? Slide the dial to Comfy, Balanced or Push me. EVERY DRILL IS RATED. SO ARE YOU. It's an Elo system: you play against the drill. Beat one rated above you and your rating climbs. Scrape through an easy one and it slips. One scale, Bronze to Platinum, for you and for every drill in the deck. PRACTICE THAT STICKS Motor-learning research keeps finding the same thing: practice that changes between attempts feels harder in the moment and holds up better afterwards. Repeating one shot grooves it, then it fades. Sports science calls it variable practice. CueCards is built on it. SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY The Daily Drill and the Daily Shot are the same for every player in the world. One drill, one shot, once a day. Both count towards your weekly streak. PLAY WITH MATES Pass & Play runs on one phone: everyone shoots the same drills and the best results take it. Add friends to compare Skill Ratings on your own leaderboard, and share any drill or result as a story card. BUILD YOUR OWN Choose the decks, packs and difficulty for a custom drill, and save any drill you want to come back to. FREE FOREVER A starter deck of 8 layouts plus every Cue Ball, Rule and Pocket card and a taste of the Safety deck: 143 cards, nearly 36,000 rated drills, unlimited deals. Drills picked at your level, your Skill Rating, weekly streak and headline stats, the Daily Drill, the Daily Shot and Pass & Play. No ads. CUECARDS PRO All 598 cards, all 1.2 million drills, and the full analysis of your game: • Player map: every part of your game (potting, safety, clusters, cushions, the black) on one rating scale, so you can see what to practise • Insights: patterns in your own results, like "without the black you clear a drill in 1.8 tries; with it, 2.9" • Explorer: slice every drill you've played, any way you like • History: the complete record, drill by drill 14 days free, then monthly or annual. Cancel any time. Works for English 8 ball, American 8 ball, 9 ball and other pool variants. — CueCards Pro is an auto-renewing subscription, monthly or annual. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase and renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel in your Account Settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://poolcuecards.com/privacy Terms of Service: https://poolcuecards.com/terms

Screenshots

darkSIDEpool3 screens
Cue Cards4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Cue Cards at 5.0 against darkSIDEpool's 3.0. Cue Cards also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. darkSIDEpool sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Cue Cards sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cue Cards holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
darkSIDEpool versus Cue Cards: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterdarkSIDEpoolCue Cards
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequency—Every 5 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMatthew HydenJason Wicks

Customer experience

darkSIDEpool

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Cue Cards

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

darkSIDEpool

One-time1
  • Unlock Full App$1.99
2 purchases

Cue Cards

Subscriptions2
  • Cue Cards Pro$5.991 Month
  • CueCards Pro (Annual)$39.991 Year

Questions

Is darkSIDEpool free?
darkSIDEpool is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cue Cards free?
Cue Cards is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, darkSIDEpool or Cue Cards?
Cue Cards is rated higher. darkSIDEpool averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Cue Cards averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do darkSIDEpool or Cue Cards have ads?
Neither darkSIDEpool nor Cue Cards shows ads.

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